However, as much as you’d love Cortana to assist you in executing every task, the functionalities of this virtual assistant are limited. For example, you cannot restart or shut down your computer by simply asking Cortana to do so. However, there is an easy workaround to make Cortana obey such commands. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to restart or shut down your Windows 10 PC using Cortana voice commands.
How to shut down your Windows 10 PC using Cortana voice commands
Since there is no built-in way to shut down your computer with voice commands, you’ll need to create a shortcut and then open that shortcut with Cortana. To do so, follow the steps below:
Press the Windows shortcut “Win key + R” to open the run dialogue box. Type in or copy and paste the following path:
The following screen will open in File Explorer. Right-click on an open space, hover over the “New” option and select “Shortcut” in the context menu that will open.
Once you click the “Shortcut” option, the shortcut creation wizard will start. Type the following command in the location field and click “Next.” This command will initiate the shutdown process after ten seconds.
Click “Next” and name the shortcut “Shutdown.”
Click the “Finish” button to complete the shortcut creation wizard and all will be set. Now you can click the microphone button and say “Open shutdown dot exe,” and Cortana will initiate the shutdown process. It is worth noting that you can change the numerical value after the -t. This number represents delay time in seconds or the time you’ll have to wait before the system initiates the shutdown process. In my case I chose ten because I wanted the system to shut down after ten seconds. If you want the system to shut down immediately, change the command to read: To do so, open the Shutdown shortcut you just created. You can search it in the search box for quick access. Once you find it, right-click and scroll down to Properties. Now change the time value in the target field of the dialogue box that will open and click OK.
The system will now shut down immediately after you execute the command or after the stipulated time if you choose to alter the numerical value.
How to restart your Windows 10 PC using Cortana voice commands
Restarting your Windows 10 PC using Cortana voice commands involves the same procedure described above, only that this time we will have to swap the -s with -r. The restart command should look something like this:
In the next window name the shortcut “Restart” and click finish to complete the shortcut creation wizard. Now you will be able to restart your computer by simply clicking the microphone icon and saying “Open Restart,” or if you have enabled the “Hey Cortana” feature, you can just say, “Hey Cortana, Open Restart.”
Conclusion
Having Cortana voice command enabled is very convenient because you can easily perform tasks that would otherwise require a dozen clicks. At times, Cortana might not respond appropriately and might even open Bing results. In such cases try swapping the words “Open Shutdown dot exe” with “launch shutdown.” You can even try to use “shutdown” without “dot exe” to execute the command. Should you encounter any problems, let us know in the comments section below, and we’ll be happy to help.
